Between September 28, 2009 and April 20, 2010, the index had only increased from 90 bps to 115 bps.

The reason for the rise has been obvious, if not evident in CDS market prices, for quite a while now. Ballooning municipal deficits and lower revenues are creating fiscal problems for many states across America. California and Massachusetts have both announced probes

(though mostly inconclusive to date) into municipal CDS trading while Illinois has seen its credit default swaps achieve the status as riskiest state in America.”

a. What is meant by a five-year MCDX?

b. What is the link between the “ballooning municipal deficits and lower revenues” and the increase in CDS spreads?